Bookcase



(No Model.)

P. J. PAULY, SI.

BOOKGASB.

Patented J11ly 9, 1895.

UNITED STATES PTENT OFFICE.

PETER J. PAULY, SR., OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

BOOKCAS E.

SPECIFIGATON formng part. of Letters Patent 1\To. 542,277, dated July 9, 1895.

Application filed Ocober 1, 1894. Serial No. 524,585. (N'o model.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be in known that I, PETER J. PAULY, Sr., of the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvenienls in Bookcases, of which the foliowing is a full, clear, and exact description, referenee being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part hereof.

l\/Iy invention has relation to improvernents in bookcases; and it consists in the novei arrangerneni; and corlbination of par-ts more fully set f0rth in the speeification, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure, 1 is a perspective view of my invention With parts breken away. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of one of the drawers with the casng thereof in section, and Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken en the line m .x of Fig. 2.

The object of my inventiou is te construct a bookcase or cabinet of suitable ornamentatien er design, constrncted preferably of sheet metal and comprising drawers which are adapted to be partially withdrawn from the case, within which drawers are adapted to be placed books in the marmer shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

My invention further consists in providing the said drawer with a movable portion or front, which is adapted to be turned in positien as shown in Fig. 1, which acts as an additional support for the books when the same are opened, and in ether details herein after described.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a case 0r cabinet comprising any number of rectangular openings 2, which are 'ormed by partition-walis 3, and which openings are adapted to receive the drawers 4, containing the books 5. Eacl1 opening is provided with two guideways 6, which are located adjacent to the opposite vertioal wails of the same, and which are adapted to receive loosely, bui. snngly, the tongues 7,forming a part of the drawer 4.

Secured to the bottom or lower waliof the opening 2 is a stop 8, againsi: which the transverse strip 9, secured to the bottom of the drawer 4, comes in contact for limiting the outward moven1ent of said drawer and furwthdrawn from said opening.

Pivoted to the under snrface of the loottom of the drawer to one side thereof and adapted to swing in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom of the drawer and at a suitable distance from the front end is a plate 10, to

the forwardedge of which is secured a rectangular-shaped plate 11, the size of whichv corresponds to the height and width of the opening 2 for completely closing said opening when the drawer is in its norrnal or closed position. Formed in the plate 10 is a semicircnlar slot 12, and passing through said slot and into the bottom of the drawer 4 is 2. pin 13, which acts as a support fox said plate 10 in all positions of the latter.

T0 one edge of the plate 10, or adjacent to the pivotal portion thereof,is a tongued strip 14, which extends a snitable distance beyond the. rear edge of the plate, the end of said strip being beveled or mitered, as shown at 15, which miter corresponds with the 1nitered edge 16, forn1ed on one end of the tongued strip 17, secured to the bottom of the drawer 4, whereby when the two miters 15 and 16 cooperate-that is, when the platel0 is in its closed position, a continuous tongued strip is forrned and isreoeived by one of the gnideways 6, the miters 15 and 16 limiting the. movement of the plate 10 in one direction, and the pin 13 and one end of the slot 12 limiting said platein the opposite direction.

18 represents a groove, which is located below the bottom of the drawer 4 and adjacent to the longitudinal edges thereof, which is adapted to receive theedge 190f the plate 10 when the latter is in. a closed position, as shown in dotted 1ine in Fig. 2. Under these circumstances the drawer can be completely closed, as shown by drawer 20 in Fig. 1.

In order to successfully operate the drawer, the book 5 is placed within the same in the position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and if the plate 10 be turned in the position as shown in said figure the book may be opened and Will thereby be supported partially by said plate. When it is desired to close the drawer, the plate 10 is turned in the direction By the use of my invention it is not necessary to remove the book from the drawer for inspecting the same, and it will thus be reariily seen tl1at my invention further provides a book-rest and overcomes the tedious and laborions handling of the book.

The front plate 11 of the drawer is provided with a, handle 21 and suitable indexplate. (Net shown.)

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. A book case comprising a drawer, a plate hinged to the same and adapted to swing in a plane substantiallyparallel to the bottom of said drawer, suitable means in connection witlr the drawer bottom for lmitng the movement of the hinged plate in ons directon, and a vertical front plate f01 said hinged plate having a snitable ha.ndle, substantially as set forth.

2. A boek case l1aving, a suitable opening, gnde-ways loeated within the same, a, drawer adapted t0 slde within the Opening and provded with tongued strips, a plate adapted to swing in a plane substantally parallel to the bottom of the drawer hinged t0 said drawer and provided with a eurved slot, a pin passing throngh said slot and into said drawer for limting the movement of the hinged plate in ons direction, and a front piste provided with a suitable handle for elosing the opening for the drawer, substantally as set forth.

3. A book case comprising a suitab1e opening, guide-ways within the Same, tongued strips movable within the guide-ways, a drawer 1:0 which the sai(l strips are secured, a hinged plate earried by said drawer an(1 havng a tongued strip secnred to one edge of the same and extending asutable distance beyond the rear edge thereof, a mitered edge formed on the free edge of said strip ancl aclapted te co-operate with a similar edge formed on one of the tongue'cl strips of the drawer, a semi-cirenlar slot formed in said plate, a. pin passing through said slot and into said drawer, a front plate secured to the front edge of the hinged plate and provided with a sutable handle, and a groeve forming (L part of the drawer f0r receiving the free edge of the hinged plate when the latter is in a alosed position, substantally as set forth.

In testimony whereof I al"fix my sgnal ure in the presence of two witnesses.

PETER J. IAULY, SR. Witnesses:

E. STAREK, I-I. A. UHL. 

